I've loved the Race Across America ever since I first stumbled upon some network TV coverage during one of the bike races in the 1980s.
The excellent coverage offered this year on the RAAM website reminds me why I like it so much; the cross-country solo cyclists basically put it all on the line in a single-minded attempt to ride more than 3,000 miles in less than 10 days.
Twenty-five male and five female solo cyclists set out from Oceanside, California, at noon Sunday for the race to Atlantic City. Here's a brief look at some of personalities and what they've been through:
— A kidney transplant recipient, Lou Lamourex from Herndon, Virginia, suffered stomach pains and diarrhea during the first 24 hours. He felt better after he vomited , then he caught about 90 minutes sleep and kept on going;
— Another cyclist, Brett Walker of New Hampshire, suffered an upset stomach as well and vomited a few times during a climb but didn't stop, he just slowed down a bit;
— Alaskan Jeff Oatley took two 15-minute “power naps” in the past day. The rest of the time he's spent in the saddle. Generally speaking, you can only afford to average about 90 minutes of sleep a day on RAAM;
— David Jones, 61, of Conoga Park, California, is trying for the second time to break the RAAM record for 60 years old and above. That record is 12 days, 7 hours and 3 minutes, averaging 10.31 mph over the length of the course. His attempt ended last year in Kansas when he was beset by 50 mph winds, tornado warnings and a sore butt;
— Also going for that record is Phillip Baker, 66, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who says he's had to re-work every joint, ligament and muscle in his body to get rid of old ailments;
— A former winner, Jure Robic, 42, of Slovenia received a penalty for riding against traffic. Apparently he pedaled past a checkpoint, turned around and rode back on the wrong side of the road. That's dangerous in RAAM as well as a weekend ride;
— Another penalty was assessed to Hana Ebertova of Prague when the 37-year-old blew through a stop sign. Contestants must follow the rules of the road. You can't blame Ebertova for being over-anxious the first day, though. She's been saving for the past 10 years to be able to afford the trip to the US for herself and her team.
Meanwhile, Team Clif Bar beat three other teams to win the 24 hours of RAAM challenge. This is basically a relay race from Oceanside to Flagstaff, a distance of some 500 miles. The winning time was just shy of 21 mph. The teams each had 6 or 7 riders.
Also, the two-person and four-person relay teams leave from Oceanside on Tuesday.
See the current RAAM standings.
Recent Comments